Two-temperature household refrigerator



Filed March 20, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 1950 w. E. RICHARD 2,518,254

TWO TEMPERATURE HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATOR 8, 1950 w. E. RICHARD 2,518,254

TWO TEMPERATURE HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATOR Filed March 20, 1948 7 Sheets-Skeet 2 I N V EN TOR. Will iam E. Picfzard BY WM f fiy Aug- 8, 1950 w. E. RICHARD 2,518,254

wo TEMPERATURE HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATOR Filed March 20, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. VVzfZZzam ERicharJ Aug. 8, 1950 w. E. RICHARD TWO TEMPERATURE HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATOR '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 20, 1948 INVENIOR.

William EJEzchard Aug. 8, 1950 w. E. RICHARD wwo TEMPERATURE HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATOR Filed March 20, 194g '7 Sheeis-Sheet 5 I INVENfOR.

Walflzam EBzcigard BY W. E. RICHARD Two TEMPERATURE HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATOR Filed March 20, 1948 Aug. 8, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Aug. 8, 1950 w. E. RICHARD TWO TEMPERATURE HOUSEHOLD REFRJIGERATOR Filed March 20, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR. Willzam ZZEzc/zard BY FROM C Patented Aug. 8, 1950 TWO-TEMPERATURE HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATOR William E. Richard, Evansville, Ind., assignor to Seeger Refrigerator Company, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota.

Application March 20, 1948, Serial No. 16,010

16 Claims.

The present invention relates to refrigerators, and is particularly concerned with a refrigerator of the household type which is not only adapted for the cooling and preserving of food products at a temperature above freezing, but is also adapted to freeze ice cubes and to freeze and store in the frozen condition food stuffs of all kinds which are adaptable for this type of preservation.

One of the objects of the present invention is the' provision of an improved refrigerator of the class described which utilizes a minimum amount of mechanism. and in which the refrigeration mechanism may be embodied in a removable unit occupying a minimum amount of space and adapted to be removed from or inserted in the back of the cabinet.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a refrigerator of the class described, in which there is a separate compartment for freezing foods and maintaining them at a temperature below freezing and another compartment adapted to be maintained at a temperature above freezing and adapted to be maintained at a predetermined humidity so that the food stored in the latter compartment may not be dried out.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a refrigerator of the household type having a freezing compartment and a high-humidity food storage compartment in which the food storage compartment is cooled by means of a secondary system having it condenser cooled by means of a section of the primary evaporator, which is also adapted to remove from the highhumidity compartment a predetermined amount of moisture, to prevent excessive humidity in the food storage compartment.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved refrigerator construction, in which the freezing compartment is located in the lowermost part of the cabinet and the moderate y cooled, food storage compartment is located in the upper part of the cabinet, each'compartment having its own separate door so that only the one to which access is desired need be opened, but when both are opened for transfer of food from one to the other, there will be no tendency for the cold air in the lower compartment to spill out and pass into the upper compartment or vice versa, as the warmer air is already above and the colder air is already below.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a refrigerator construction of the class described, in which adequate provision has been made by means of a moisture and fluid tight seal between the upper warmer compartment and the lower freezing compartment so that the more humid air in the upper compartment will not its way into the lower compartment, which would otherwise deprive it of its moisture.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved refrigerator construction of the class described which is simple, which may be manufactured economically, which is adapted to be serviced readily and which is adapted to maintain a uniform temperature throughout each compartment, and in some embodiments which is provided with a removable primary system.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings of which there are seven sheets accompanying the specification,

Fig, 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the refrigeration system;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of a refrigerator embodying the invention with the doors open;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the plane of the line 3-3, of Figure 2, with the door closed;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the plane of the line 4-4, of Figure 2, with the door closed; Fig. 5 is a vertical fragmentary elevational view taken on the plane of the line 5-5, of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows with the door closed;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view taken on the plane of the line 6-45, of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows with the doors closed;

Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of the liner of the high humidity chamber, partially broken away to show the connection between the primary and secondary systems;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through the rear walls of the upper liner and upper rear corner of the lower liner, showing a modification of the'second evaporator of the primary system;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view, showing the way in which the secondary coils are clamped to the liner of the high-humidity chamber; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary 'side elevational view of the subject-matter of Figure 9.

Referring to Figure 1, this is a diagrammatic illustration of the refrigeration system preferably employed in the present refrigerator. The system preferably includes a suitable evaporator 20, such as a U-shaped member, which is formed out of two sheets of suitable metal, one of the sheets being embossed at 2| to provide suitable conduits extending from a header 22 on one side of the evaporator downwardly, horizontally and upwardly to an outlet header 23, which is connected by means of a conduit 24 to a motor compressor The inlet header 22 of the evaporator 29 is connected by a conduit 26 to a second evaporator 21, which is formed by a substantially V-shaped bent portion of the conduit 26 terminating in a closed or dead-end 26.

The conduit 26 may, over part of its course, consist of one of the embossments indicated at 26, in Figure 4, leading downwardly across the flgure to the inlet header 22.

The second evaporator 21 has its conduit 26 in the form of a tubular member which contains within it a second tubular member 29, the second tubular member 29 being in the nature of a relatively small conduit adapted to carry the liquid refrigerant from the float chamber 30 to the second evaporator 21.

The small conduit 29 passes into the side wall of the conduit 26, at the point 3 I, and then passes up an elongated straight portion of the conduit 26, which is housed in the insulation of the rear wall of the cabinet.

The small conduit 29 is bent in the same way as the larger'conduit 26, of which the-evaporator 21 is formed, but the small conduit terminates at the point 32 short of the dead-end 28 of the larger conduit, and thereafter the liquid refrigerant is turned backwardly around the small conduit 29 inside the larger conduit 26, and is carried downwardly through the larger conduit 26 to the evaporator 29. The outlet of the compressor 25 is connected by a conduit 33 to a condenser 34, the outlet of which is connected by gomiiait 35 to the top and inlet of the float cham- Thus the compressed and cooled refrigerant passes first to the float chamber, and from the float chamber it passe upwardly in the small conduit 29 to the upper primary evaporator 21. From that evaporator the refrigerant, which may be part gaseous and part liquid, goes down in the space between the large conduit 26 and the small conduit 29 to the second evaporator 20.

From the second evaporator 20 the gaseous refrigerant passes back to the motor compressor 26. The relative sizes of the two conduits 26 and 29 are such that the annular space between them and the extended length of these conduits places a predetermined restriction or resistance to the flow of refrigerant from the first evaporator 21 to the second evaporator 20, thus eliminating the necessity for providing a restrictor between these two evaporators which are to be maintained at different temperatures.

The evaporator 20 is employed for freezing ice and for freezing other food articles, which are to be frozen and placed in a frozen storage chamber. The evaporator 20 also serves to maintain the frozen food chamber in which it is located at a temperature of approximately degrees below zero.

The upper evaporator 21 may be maintained at a temperature below freezing when running, and it is adapted to be used to cool a secondary system by means of which a second high-humidity chamber may be maintained at a suitable storage temperature above freezing.

The motor compressor may be controlled by means of a thermostat located in the lower or freezing chamber. since it is desirable and necessary to keep frozen foods at substantially the same temperature, around zero degree F.

The upper chamber is preferably maintained at a temperature of substantially 40 degrees F. by means of a secondary system, which is shown diagrammatically in Figure 1. This secondary system includes a V-shaped condenser 36, which is made of metal tubing and which has its ends formedsas a continuation of the tubing forming the evaporator 31.

The evaporator 31 of the secondary system comprises a multiplicity of sinuous portions 33 of tubing, which extend back and forth in a horizontal direction on the outside of the liner of the high-humidity compartment, as shown in Figure 7;

These sinuous portions 36 of tubing, being shown diagrammatically in Figure 1, are not there shown with as many convolutions nor do they have the slope which is properly shown in Figure 7, because the showing of Figure 1 is diagrammatic. The sinuous portions 36 might be termed V-shaped" because the tubing must be given an easy bend where it is bent back upon itself, but each horizontal portion of the tubing 36 slopes downward toward the left toward the easy bend, and thenslopes downward toward the right to the next easy bend in order that they may drain liquid refrigerant to the bottom of the second evaporator. Thus there is always a spread between the successive sinuous portions which are not parallel but are somewhat like a capital V with an easy bend at the apex.

These sinuous portions of the tubing of the secondary evaporator 31 are preferably placed on the back and the right side of the liner, as shown in Figure 7, thus causing a tendency to cool the left and back more than the right side. This induces a circulation inside the liner because the right side and the door being warmer there will be a tendency for the warmer air at those points to move upward, and this air com ing in contact with the evaporator 21 at the top will be cooled and will tend to pass downward along the back and left side, where the coils 36 will also tend to cool the air and cause it to move downward by convection currents.

The lowermost of the coils 36 is connected by a portion of tubing 39 to the lower end of the V-shaped condenser tubing 36. The upper end of the V-shaped tubing 36 is connected by a tubing portion 40 to the upper end of the V-shaped tubing portions 38.

Thus the secondary system may consist of one continuous closed length of metallic tubing, which is so arranged that refrigerant is heated and evaporated in the V-shaped coil portions 38 of the secondary evaporator 31. The slope of the V-shaped portions is such that there is a continuous tendency for vapor or gas to pass upward through the conduit 40 to the condenser 36.

In the condenser 36, which is in intimate contact with the evaporator 21, the gas or vapor in the secondary condenser is cooled and turned to liquid after which it runs down the sloping portion of the condenser 36 to conduit 39 to the bottom of the evaporator 31.

The conduit 26 at the evaporator 21 is preferably fiattened, and is clamped to the secondary condenser 36 by means of a clamping plate II and a plurality of channeled clamping members 42 (Figure 5) the plate and clamping members being secured together by a plurality of screw bolts 43.

The. evaporator 21 is maintained at a temperature below the freezing point'of water, and when the motor compressor is running this evaporator will accumulate frost, reducing to a predetermined degree the humidity of the storage cham her in which it is located.

When the compressor 25 is not running the evaporator 21 will defrost by virtue of the fact that it is located in a chamber at a temperature of approximately 40 degrees, this being above freezing, and the melting frost will drip oil into a relatively narrow drip pan 44, Figure 5.

The cabinet which houses the present system is preferably so arranged that the freezing compartment is isolated from the high-humidity storage compartment so far as moisture is concerned. and thus the freezing compartment need be defrosted only at long intervals of time, such as from three to six months, while the high-humidity compartment willbe automatically defrosted, as described.

Referring to Figure 8, this is a modification in which the second primary evaporator is indicated at 45. In this case the small conduit 46 passes into the end 41 of a larger conduit 48, which forms the evaporator 45. The larger conduit 48 is relatively smaller in size than the arrangement shown in Figure 1, wherein one conduit is housed within the other, but the conduit 48 is proportioned in size and length so as to provide the desired resistance to the flow of refrigerant between the two evaporators 45 and 20.

In this case the two downwardly extending conduits 46 and 49 are preferably soldered together for heat exchange purposes, and both are housed in a tightly fitting rubber hose 50, which excludes frost from the exterior of the conduits 46 and 49, also keeping moisture out of the insulation. The rubber hose 50 and conduits 46, 49 pass through liner 52 at an elongated aperture which is long enough to pass the evaporator 45. The lower end of elongated aperture 5| is then closed with a metal plate. I

The upper liner 52 is shown in perspective in Figure 7, with a fragment of the lower liner 53, these liners being separated from each other and forming two separate chambers, such as the upper high-humidity storage chamber 54, Figure 5, and the lower freezing chamber 55, Figure 6.

The V-shaped secondary coils 36 maybe se-' cured to the outside of the upper liner 52, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, for example, U- shaped brackets 56 have attaching flanges 51,

58, which are spot welded at 59 to the liner 52 at convenient points, generally near the easy bends of the V-shaped coils 38.

Clamping members 60 may be provided of sufflcient length to span both legs of a V-shaped coil, each clamping member having inwardly turned confining flanges 6|, Figure 9, at each end. A screw bolt 62 may extend through each clamping member and through an aperture in the yoke of the bracket 56, and a U-shaped spring member 63 may be provided, which is apertured at 64 to pass the bolt 62, but which has spring fingers 65 in its other leg for gripping the threads of the bolt 62.

Thus the screw bolt 62 may be used to draw the tubing 38 into tight engagement with the liner 52. In addition to this, a bituminous compound which is mixed with metallic filings or other conductive material is applied to the crack between the tubing 38 and the liner 52 to increase the conduction of heat from liner to tubing.

The present refrigeration system is preferably embodied in a cabinet in such manner that the 6 primary system is removable, and in such manner that the cabinet includes a lower freezing chamber and an upper high-humidity storage chamber, these two being isolated from each other so far as moisture is concerned, because otherwise the moisture might travel from the high-humidity chamber through the insulation to the coldest point in the freezing chamber. Such a cabinet is illustrated in Figures 2 to 6.

As previously stated, the cabinet, Figure 2, includes an outer metal shell 66, Figure 2, which may consist of a single piece forming the side 61, top 68 and opposite side 69. The back of the outer shell may be closed by means of a back plate 10, Figure 3, which is welded to the inwardly turned flanges 1i carried on the back of the sides, and the side panels preferably also have an inwardly extending flange 12, located on their front edges around-the door openings.

The upper high-humidity compartment 54 is. formed by the inner metal liner 52, and the lower freezing compartment 55 is formed by the lower liner 53. The freezing compartment is preferably located below, with the warmer high-humidity compartment located above, because, under these conditions, there will be no tendency for the air to spill out of the lower compartment and fiow into the upper compartment when both doors are open.

In other words, the compartments are so arranged that the warmer air is already above, and the warmer air tends to stay in the upper compartment while the colder air tends to stay in the lower compartment.

The liners are both preferably formed at their forward open side with an inwardly projecting rib or flange 13, Figure 5, adapted to be engaged by a pre-formed breaker strip 14 formed of heatinsulating fiber or plastic. The inner liners are supported from the outer shell by any suitable form of connecting members, which conduct a minimum amount of heat from the external shell to the inner liners.

The space between the outer shell and inner liners is filled with insulation 15, preferably of a fibrous nature, such as pre-formed blocks of rock wool. The space between the two liners, indicated at 16, is filled with the same kind of insulation forming an insulating partition between the two compartments to maintain the desired heat differential, and prevent flow of heat from the warmer compartment above to the colder one below.

The breaker strips are preferably unsealed insofar as excludin moisture from the insulation is concerned, so that the moisture may be drawn from the insulation through apertures in the breaker strips or through cracks between the breaker strips and adjacent metal shells. The moisture is deposited in the form of frost on the upper primary evaporator 21 or its adjacent clamping plates and fins.

The cabinet is also preferably provided in the partition, which is formed at the space 16 between the two liners or compartments, with a moisture and air-tight sealing member 11. This sealing member may consist of a fiber board of Masonite which is impregnated and coated on both sides with a layer of asphaltic compound adapted to prevent the passage of moisture.

The Water-tight seal 11 is also brought into water-tight contact with the outer shell at the rear, both sides and front of the cabinet by sealing this crack with an asphaltic compound in such manner that the upper insulation and compartment is already isolated from the lower in-: sulation and compartment.

Thus the moisture cannot travel past the sealing layer 1'! to the freezing compartment, and frost will not accumulate in the freezing compartment except in such little amount as is brought in by the air when the door is opened. Neither will the freezing evaporator rob the upper high-humidity compartment of its moisture.

The cabinet is preferably provided with a pair of suitable doors 18, 19, each of which is secured to the outer shell by means of a pair of suitable hinges 80, and the opposite edge of each door is provided with a suitable latch controlled by handles 8i and 82. The doors may each consist of an outer metallic shell 83, bent to form edges of the door, of suitable thickness and having inwardly turned attaching flanges 84 around all sides of the door.

A pre-formed plastic panel member 85 may form the inner shell of the door, this member being secured by suitable self-threading screws at its edges to the attaching flanges 84 of the outer door shell. The space between the door shells is filled with the same fibrous insulation 86, and the inner door shell may have suitable slots 81 arranged at points where they will not be visible to the user, for making the insulation space accessible to the interior of the compartments so that the evaporators may draw moisture from the insulation.

The doors each have a suitable hollow compression rubber seal 81a, the attachin flange of which is clamped between the inner and outer door shells, and the sealing gasket 81a engages the face of the outer shell around the full periphery of each door opening, alon lines that are located at the outermost portion of the facing flanges.

The back panel 10 of the cabinet is provided with an opening communicating with the upper part of the lower liner, which has a similar registering opening. The inner and outer shells are joined by a suitable insulating sheet material 69 around this opening, and the opening is filled by means of an insulating plug 90, comprising an inner metal shell 9i and an outer metal shell 92 secured together by suitable insulating side walls 93.

The outer metal shell 92 is dished inwardly, forming a recess 94 within which approximately half of the motor compressor 25 may be located. The space between the shells 9i and 92, of the plug 90, is filled with more eflicient fibrous insulation, giving the plug an insulating value, approximately equivalent to that of the side walls of the cabinet.

While the thickness of the plug 90 is less at the middle, where the motor compressor is located, it

may be thicker than the other walls adjacent the outer edges of the plug so that although the heat losses may be slightly more at the thinner portion, such heat losses will be less at the outer portions and the average over-all insulating value will be substantially equivalent to that of the side walls. The structure of the supporting plug and its accompanying mechanism may be substantially as shown in the prior patent to R. W. Ayres, No. 2,445,988, issued July 27, 1948, on Refrigerator Construction With Removable Refrigerator Unit.

The inner shell 9i supports the lower primary evaporator 20, by means of angular brackets 95,

and'the forward end of the evaporator may be 8 given additional support by additional brackets secured to the top of the liner, if desired.

The cabinet may be provided with the usual accessories, such as the shelves 06, 91, 96, which are preferably made of wire or small rods'. Certain shelf portions 99 may be arranged to pivot downward, as indicated, when slid forwardly oil. their supporting lugs I00, Figure 2. In the lower part of the upper high-humidity compartment there may be a glass shelf IOI, which provides an enclosed space for a pair of hydrator drawers I02.

In the lower freezing compartment the evaporator 20 may be provided with a suitable combined door and shelf I03, mounted for pivotal movement at its lower edge and adapted to serve as a shelf when in horizontal position. Below the evaporator 20, in the freezing compartment, there may be a suitable sliding drawer I04 for receiving frozen meats and other foods for storage.

The refrigeration system preferably has the evaporator 20, insulating plug 90, compressor 25, condenser 34 and float chamber 30, all mounted as a single unit so that by the removal of certain fastening bolts the plug 90, with its assembled and supported parts, may be removed from the cabinet.

The sealing layer 'I'l between the two compartments is preferably provided with suitable rearwardly open slots I05, for passing the upwardly extending conduits 26 and 29 which lead to the upper primary evaporator 21, and which are enclosed in the hose 50.

A slot I06 is provided in the rear panel I0 of the outer shell for passing the conduits 26, 29 and the hose 50, so that when the plug 90 is withdrawn with the freezing evaporator 20, the upper extending conduits 26, 29 with their primary evaporator 21 may also be withdrawn from the cabinet as a unit.

The slot I06 extends from the uppermost portion of the tube 26, Figure 7, down beyond the upper liner 52, and is sufficient in length to permit removal of the elongated upper assembly seen in Figure 8, which is attached to the mechanism of the plug 90, so that when the plug 90 is removed the upstanding assembly of tubes 46, 49, 50, 4'5 and 49 all pass out of this vertical slot or elongated aperture at the same time the plug 90 is withdrawn from its opening in the back of the lower compartment.

This slot I06, Figure 3, communicates with a suitable aperture in the inner liner for installation and removal of the upper primary evaporator 21, Figure 5, and after an installation of the removable refrigeration unit is made, the crack is packed with fibrous insulation and the slot in the outer shell (Figure 3) is closed by a suitable vertically extending cover I01, with rubber gaskets I08. 1

The insulating plug 90 has an outwardly extending attachment flange I09, (Figure 4) provided with a sealing gasket engaging the rear of the shell. The plug also supports a suitable chimney IIO, which is open at the top and bottom, and it directs the air convection currents upwardly through the condenser into the engage- I ment with the motor compressor and out at the top.

Thus the present refrigeration unit may be installed or removed as a unit insofar as the prihigh-humidity compartment.

and cabinet excess humidity may be prevented in the upper storage compartment, due to the accumulation of frost on the upper primary evaporator and its associated parts. This frost accumulates only when the compressor is running, and melts again into a suitable drip container when the compressor stops running.

Thus the upper evaporator removes moisture from the storage compartment which would otherwise become too humid, yet it is ordinarily not necessary to give attention to the defrosting of the upper primary evaporator because its action in defrosting is automatic.

The thermostat setting of the lower compartment is such that it maintains a below-freezing temperature in that compartment, around zero' degrees F. The size and characteristics of the second primary evaporator 21 are such that this evaporator is large enough to maintain the temperature of the storage compartment at about 40 degrees F. The second primary evaporator 21 is itself colder than 32 degrees F., but its size is limited and, therefore, when the motor compressor is running the second primary evaporator 21 is colder than 32 degrees F. and it collects frost from the humidity in the air of the storage compartment. As soon as the motor compressor stops running the temperature of the second primary evaporator 21 rises quickly as it is in the compartment which is normally maintained at about 40 degrees F., and the frost melts off while the motor compressoris not running. The melted frost is collected in a receptacle underneath the evaporator 21, where it remains in the form of water at a temperature of about 40 degrees F. The frost accumulating action of the evaporator 21 is increased by giving it additional fin surface in the form of the channeled clamping members 42, and this evaporator warms up quickly after the motor compressor stops running because of its small holdover capacity for liquid refrigerant, since this evaporator includes only one convolution, that is, one tube having a hairpin bend.

A refrigerator of this type was used by the appli-' cant in his home for twenty-eight months without any defrosting other than that which was accomplished automatically as described above.

From time to time the container 44 for melted frost should be emptied.

The water-tight sealing layer between the two compartments prevents the lower freezing evaporator from robbing the upper humid compartment of its moisture, and prevents frosting of the freezing evaporator except such amount as is caused by air entering when the door is opened.

Thus the freezing evaporator need not be defrosted except at long intervals of three to six months. Due to the specific location of secondary evaporator coils on the back and left side of the storage chamber liner, there will be a circulation of air up the front and right side of this chamber I and down at the back and left side. This will prevent stratification and insure the uniform cooling throughout all of the spaces in the chamber.

-While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, manymodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1.. In a refrigeration system, the combination of a cabinet having an outer shell, an upper liner forming a storage compartment and a lower liner forming a freezing compartment, with a motor compressor, condenser and controlling device, a freezing evaporator in the lower compartment, a second evaporator in the upper part of the storage compartment and a secondary system having evaporator coils engaging the storage liner, and having an upper condenser portion arranged to transfer heat to the second primary evaporator in the uppe part of said storage chamber.

2. In a refrigeration system, the combination of a cabinet having an outer shell, an upper liner forming a storage compartment and a lower liner forming a freezing compartmenhwith a motor compressor, condenser and controlling device, a freezing evaporator in the lower compartment, a second evaporator in the upper part of the storage compartment and a secondary system having evaporator coils engaging the storage liner, and having an upper condenser portion arranged to transfer heat to the second primary evaporator in the upper part of said storage chamber, said second primary evaporator in the storage cornpartment accumulating frost during the operation of the motor compressor to remove excessive moisture from the storage chamber.

3. In a refrigeration system, the combination of a cabinet having an outer shell, an upper liner forming a storage compartment and a lower liner forming a freezing compartment, with a motor compressor, condenser and controlling device, a primary freezing evaporator in the lower compartment, a second primary evaporator in the upper part of the storage compartment and a secondary system having evaporator coils engaging the storage liner, and having an upper condenser portion arranged in heat transfer relation to the second primary evaporator in the upper part of said storage chamber, said second primary evaporator in the storage compartment being maintained at a temperaturev below freezing point of water, to accumulate frost during the operation of the motor compressor to remove excessive moisture from the storage chamber, and said second primary evaporator maintaining a temperature of substantially 40 degrees F. in the upper storage compartment to melt the frost when the compressor is not running, the melted liquid being deposited in a container during the time intervals between the compressor operations.

4. In a refrigerator, the combination of a cabinet having an outer shell and a pair of liners, the said liners defining an upper food storage compartment and a lower freezing compartment separated by an insulating partition, insulation between said liners and said outer shell, means for coolingsaid upper food storage.compartment to a predetermined temperature above freezing and means for cooling said lower freezing compartment to a temperature below a freezing point of water, and a fluid and liquid tight seal located in said insulating partition between said compartments and having moisture tight contact with said outer shell at the front sides and rear of said shell to prevent the transmigration of air from one compartment to the other and to prevent dehumidification of the air in the upper food storage compartment.

5. In a refrigerator, the combination of a cabinet having an outer shell and a pair of liners, the said liners defining an upper food storage compartment and-a lower freezing compartment separated by an insulating partition, insulation between said liners and said outer shell, means for cooling said upper food storage compartment to a predetermined temperature above freezing and means for coolingsaid lower freezing compartment to a temperature below a freezing point of water, and a fluid and liquid tight seal located in said insulating partition between said compartments and having moisture tight contact with said outer shell at the front sides and rear of said shell to prevent the transmigration of air from one compartment to the other and to prevent dehumidification of the air in the upper food storage compartment, said means for cooling said compartments comprising a, primary evaporator in said lower compartment and a primary evaporator in said upper compartment, said latter evaporator being of limited area, anda secondary system having a condenser engaging said latter evaporator and having a secondary evaporator for cooling the line of the upper compartment.

6. In a refrigerator, the combination of a cabinet having an outer shell and a pair of liners, the said liners defining an upper food storage compartment and a lower freezing compartment separated by an insulating partition, insulation between said liners and said outer shell, means for cooling said upper food storage compartment to a predetermined temperature above freezing and means for cooling said lower freezing compartment to a temperature below a freezing point of water, and a fluid and liquid tight seal located in said insulating partition between said compartments and having moisture tight contact with said outer shell at the front sides and rear of said shell to p event the transmi ration of air from one compartment to the other and to prevent dehumi ification of the air in the upper food storage compartment, said means for coo in said upper compartment including a secondary evaporator, a secondary condenser connected to said secondary evaporator to form a closed secondary system and a primary evaporator section of small refrigerant capacity and of large area, operated below freezing temperatureand located in the upper food storage chamber to prevent excessive humidity.

'7. In a refrigerator. the combination of a cab-- inet having an outer shell and a pair of liners. the said liners defining an upper food storage compartment and a lower freezing compartment separated by an insulatin partition. insulation between said liners and said outer shell, means for cooling said upper food storage compartment to a predetermined tem erature above freezing and means for cooling said lower freezing compartment to a temperature below a freezing point of water, and a fluid and liquid tight seal located in said insulatin partition between said compartments and having moisture tight contact with said outer shell at the front sides and rear of said shell to prevent the transmigration of air from one com artment to the other and to prevent dehumidification of the air in the upper food storage compartment. said cooling means for both said chambers including a primary evaporator in the lower chamber, a primary evaporator in the upper chamber and a common compressing and condensing unit.

8. In a refrigerator, the combination of a cabinet having an outer shell and a pair of liners, the said liners defining an upper food storage compartment and a lower freezing compartment separated by an insulating partition, insulation between said liners and said outer shell, means for cooling said upper food storage compartment to a predetermined temperatuer above freezing and means for cooling said lower freezing compartment to a temperature below a freezing point of water, and a fluid and liquid tight seal located in said insulating partition between said compartments and having moisture tight contact with said outer shell at the front sides and rear of said shell to prevent the transmigration of air from one compartment to the other and to prevent dehumidification of the air in the upper food storage compartment, said cooling means for both said chambers including a primary evaporator in the lower chamber, a primary evaporator in the upper chamber and a common compressing and condensing unit, said primary evaporators being each mounted upon an insulating plug and having connecting conduits removably mounted on said cabinet whereby the primary refrigeration apparatus may be removed as a unit.

9'. In a removable refrigeration unit, the combination of an insulating plug adapted to be inserted in a wall opening in a-cabinet, with a motor compressor, condenser and flow control member carried by one side of said plug, and a first primary evaporator carried by the other side of said plug, conduits leading from the outlet of said compressor to the condenser and from said condenser to said flow control member and a conduit from said member to a second primary evaporator, said latter conduit being located inside a larger conduit forming said latter evaporator and having a dead end whereby the space between two coaxial conduits serves as a return conduit from said second primary evaporator to said first primary evaporator.

10. In a removable refrigeration unit, the combination of an insulating plug adapted to be inserted in a wall opening in a cabinet, with a motor compressor, condenser and flow control member carried by one side of said plug, and a first primary evaporator carried by the other side of said plug, conduits leading from the outlet of said compressor to the condenser and from said condenser to said flow control member and a conduit from said member to a second primary evaporator, said latter conduit being located inside a larger conduit forming said latter evaporator and having a dead end whereby the space between two coaxial conduits serves as a return conduit from said second primary evaporator to said first primary evaporator, and a secondary system having a condenser in heat exchange relation with said second primary evaporator, and having a secondary evaporator connected to said condenser.

11. In a removable refrigeration unit, the combination of an insulating plug adapted to be inserted in a wall opening in a cabinet, with a motor compressor, condenser and flow control member carried by one side of said plug, and a first primary evaporator carried by the other side of said plug, conduits leading from the outlet of said compressor to the condenser and from said condenser to said flow control member and a conduit from said member to a second primary evaporator, said latter conduit being located inside a larger conduit forming said latter evaporator and having a dead end whereby the space between two coaxial conduits serves as a return conduit from said second primary evaporator to said first primary .evaporator, and a secondary system having a condenser in heat exchange resaid second primary evaporator being located in g a high humidity food storage chamber, to condense a predetermined amount of moisture and to avoid excessive humidity therein.

12. In a removable refrigeration unit, the combination of an insulating plug adapted to be inserted in a wall opening in a cabinet, with a motor compressor, condenser and flow control member carried by one side of said plug, and a first primary evaporator carried by the other side of said plug, conduits leading from the outlet of said compressor to the condenser and from said condenser to said flow control member and a conduit from said member to a second primary evaporator, said latter conduit being located inside alarger conduit forming said latter evaporator and having a dead end whereby the space between two coaxial conduits serves as a return conduit from said second primary evaporator to said first primary evaporator, and a secondary system having a condenser in heat exchange relation with said second primary evaporator, and having a secondary evaporator connected to said condenser, said first mentioned primary evaporator being located in a freezing chamber and said second primary evaporator being located in a high humidity food storage chamber, to condense a predetermined amount of moisture and to avoid excessive humidity therein, said secondary evaporator being located on the outside of the liner of said high humidity chamber.

13. In a refrigerator system, the combination of a compressor having an inlet and an outlet, a condenser connected by a conduit to said outlet, a small conduit leading from said condenser and terminating in an open end, a slightly larger con- 14 large capacity and operating at a substantially zero temperature for cooling a freezing compartment.

15. In a. refrigerator system, the combination of a compressor having an inlet and an outlet, a condenser connected by a conduit to said outlet, a small conduit leading from said condenser and terminating in an open end, a slightly larger conduit surrounding said small conduit and extending beyond the end of said small conduit forming an annular restriction between the conduits, the end of the said larger conduit being closed at a point beyond the end of the small conduit tocause the refrigerant to travel in the small conduit to its end, and then backward between the small conduit and the larger conduit, and inside the latter, the larger conduit being connected to the compressor inlet and the end portions of both conduits serving as an evaporator, and a second evaporator interposed between said larger conduit and the inlet of said compressor for receiving refrigerant not evaporated in the first-mentioned evaporator, the second evaporator being of large capacity and operating at a substantial 1y zero temperature for cooling a freezing compartment, and the first evaporator having relatively small capacity and operating at a temperature below freezing of water for maintaining a storage compartment at a temperature of sub-' stantially 40 degrees F.

16. In a refrigerator system, the combination of a compressor having an inlet and an outlet, a condenser connected by a conduit to said outlet. a small conduit leading from said condenser and terminating in an open end, a. slightly larger conduit surrounding said small conduit and extending beyond the end of said small conduit forming an annular restriction between the conduit surrounding said small conduit and extending beyond the end of said small conduit forming an annular restriction between the conduits, the end of the said larger conduit being'closed at a point beyond the end of the small conduit to cause the refrigerant to travel in the small conduit to its end, and then backward between the small conduit and the larger conduit, and inside the latter, the larger conduit being connected to the compressor inlet and the end portions of both conduits serving as an evaporator, and a second evaporator interposed between said larger conduit and the inlet of said compressor for receiving refrigerant not evaporated in the first-mentioned evaporator.

14. In a' refrigerator system, the combination of a compressor having an inlet and an outlet, a condenser connected by a conduit to said outlet, a small conduit leading from said condenser and terminating in an open end, a slightly larger conduits, the end of the said larger conduit being closed at a point beyond the end of the small conduit to cause the refrigerant to travel in the small conduit to its end, and then backward between the small conduit and the larger conduit, and inside the latter, the larger conduit bein connected to the compressor inlet and the end portions of both conduits serving as an evapoan annular restriction between the conduits, the end of the said larger conduit being closed at a point beyond the end of the small conduit to cause the refrigerant to travel in the small con' duit to its end, and then backward between the small conduit and the larger condui and inside the latter, the larger conduit being connected to the compressor inlet and the end portions of both conduits serving as an evaporator, and a second evaporator interposed between said larger conduit and the inlet of said compressor for receiving refrigerant not evaporated in the first-menrator, and a second evaporator interposed between said larger conduit and the inlet of said compressor for receiving refrigerant not evaporated in the first-mentioned evaporator, the second evaporator being of large capacity and opcrating at a substantially zero temperature for cooling a freezing compartment, and the first evaporator having relatively small capacity and operating at a temperature below freezing of water for maintaining a storage compartment at a temperature of substantially 40 degrees F., and a secondary system comprising a closed circuit coil having a condenser portion in heat conducting relation with the first evaporator and having an evaporator portion in heat conducting relation 9 with the walls of a storage compartment.

WILLIAM E.'RICHARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: H

' UNITED STATES PATENTS 

